Bloomfield Hills library to close

[gazhekwe]

There is WOLF, Wayne-Oakland Library Federation, or something like that, that lets us borrow from participating libraries on a par basis. That is, if our library belongs to WOLF and we have a library card, we can borrow from other WOLF libraries.

[lilpup]

Not only are there regional sharing programs in Michigan, where patrons of participating libraries can use other participating libraries, but there's also a statewide service called MeL - Michigan eLibrary - where patrons can order books from any other library in the state and have them delivered to their home library for pickup.

Sometimes local libraries don't participate in a regional share system due to the way they are funded. For example Ann Arbor's library system has its own millage now. It used to be part of the school system.

[Packman41]

Not only are there regional sharing programs in Michigan, where patrons of participating libraries can use other participating libraries, but there's also a statewide service called MeL - Michigan eLibrary - where patrons can order books from any other library in the state and have them delivered to their home library for pickup.

All true. The City of Bloomfield Hills does not have their own library so they cannot share with other libraries as they have nothing to share.

This whole problem was the instigated by a very small group that tried to bully their way into the Bloomfield Township Library. This went to the Supreme Court of Michigan and the Township won - but it cost the taxpayers over $300,000 to defend it's position. This because the instigators did not want to pay their fair share for services. They wanted the Township residents to supply them the entire library and all of it's services and only charge them the cost of checking out books.

This is like me going into a restaurant and ordering a meal, but only willing to pay for the wholesale cost of the ingredients and not tipping the waitress. It is this type of entitlement mentality that makes cooperation difficult.

[pffft]

Yes there is a cooperative arrangement with most suburban Detroit libraries, if you have a card in Birmingham you can use it in Royal Oak, and vice versa, and in many other cities. But the cheapskates who live in cities like Bloomfield Hills where there is no library should be and are, out of luck.

[douglasm]

That's where a library district would work best. It's not a "cooperative arrangement" deal, it is a taxing district of its own, like a fire or sewer district, where all people in the district share equally the benifit and the cost.

In my little town of 900, we can't afford a library, but as part of the North Central Regional Library District [[Washington), we have access to the library in the 30,000 pop. town up the road, because our taxes help support it.

[Packman41]

To douglasm: This is true and you and your neighbors are paying your fair share to the NCR Library District.

The guys in the City of Bloomfield wanted all the services, but did not wanted to pay their fair share. This whole problem is about fairness and how a small group in the City of BH don't want to cooperate and play fair.

The next event to watch will be if the voters of Troy want to keep their library open.

[pffft]

Douglasm,

Yes, as the previous poster says, this cannot be a "taxing situation" because the B'field Hills moneybags specifically voted to stop paying for access to the township library because they don't want to pay taxes.

[agirlintheD]

Maybe they should just hire someone to bring the books to them and hell, read to them while they're at it. Or...they could hire one of us to refurbish one of our old Bookmobiles [[aging myself, I know) and bring them a latte on the way.

[English]

I give them credit for being ideologically consistent.

AgirlintheD -- I think my generation was the very last to have visits from the DPL Bookmobile in the early to mid 1980s. Great memories!

[FoxyScholar10]

Ditto on the DPL Bookmobile memories!

[Patrick]

What is it that so many wealthy people are so fucking stingy? My uncle is very well off and lives in BH...his net worth is in the 8 figures....gave my brother 25 bucks for his wedding a few years back lol.

[manualshift]

What is it that so many wealthy people are so fucking stingy? My uncle is very well off and lives in BH...his net worth is in the 8 figures....gave my brother 25 bucks for his wedding a few years back lol.

Your uncle didn't get that way by tipping 25%.